Shahbaz Bhatti, the minister for religious minorities has been assassinated . Bhatti, a Christian, was a vocal opponent of the controversial blasphemy law and had repeatedly asked for it to be reformed. Pamphlets found at the scene of his killing warned of a similar fate for anyone opposed to the blasphemy law. His killing comes barely two months after Salman Taseer was killed for calling the law to be amended.
Pro-reform demonstrators in the industrial town of Sohar have clashed with police, leading to the deaths of six protesters. The protesters, demanding political and economic reforms, had blocked roads, attacked government buildings, and tried to free detainees from the town’s police station.
Police in Harare this week arrested 46 activists and trade union members who were watching videos of demonstrations in Egypt and Tunisia. They have been charged with treason for trying to organise an uprising against the government. Lawyers for some of the detained allege that they have been beaten while in custody.
Two protesters were killed on Tuesday in a clash between pro-government demonstrators and anti-government demonstrators in the capital San’a. The shooting also left 10 protesters wounded. Seven government parliamentarians have resigned from their party in response to the violence directed towards the protesters.